Sports Briefs

April 01, 2008

Administration: USF addition Kevin Hesser has been named assistant athletic director of external affairs at the University of Sioux Falls. Hesser returns to Sioux Falls from Cleveland State University where he was the marketing coordinator since June 2007. From 2004-07, Hesser was the USF sports information and marketing director. Outdoors: GFP hearing Thursday South Dakota hunters may have an increased chance at a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity thanks to a proposal that would increase the number of bighorn sheep licenses from four to five. The proposal considered by the GFP commission calls for adding an additional license in a new unit. The unit would be located in Custer County west of Highway 79 excluding the fenced portion of Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument. South Dakota's bighorn sheep season is open to resident hunters only. Successful applicants are allowed only one license in their lifetime. Another unique hunting opportunity is South Dakota's two-day sage grouse season proposed to take place Sept. 24-25 on public land and private land leased as Walk-in Areas in Harding County and west of U.S. Highway 85 in Butte County. Also, the commission will consider extending the hunting seasons for pheasants and other upland game birds in South Dakota through the end of January. The seasons currently end on the first Sunday of January. The proposed change would add three to four weeks of hunting opportunity, depending on the year. The hunting seasons will be the subject of a public hearing at the commission's April meeting in Brookings at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Days Inn. Comments: wildinfo@state.sd.us. Co-op: Florence-Henry Falcons The Florence and Henry school districts recently announced a new co-op for all sports. The school retired their old mascots, the Flyers and Owls, in a ceremony last weekend and announced their new mascot, the Falcons. Rodeo: Outdoor Channel coverage The Outdoor Channel is in the second year of an agreement with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. It will air rodeo coverage twice weekly through June 28. Each hour-long show will debut at 10 p.m. on Wednesdays and repeat at 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Viewers are advised to check their local listings for changes to the schedule. Six rodeoes will be featured: The Dixie National Rodeo in Jackson, Miss., (April 2 and 5); the Arkansas-Louisiana-Mississippi Stampede Days Rodeo in Monroe, La., (April 9 and 12); the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Pocatello, Idaho, (begins April 16 and 19 in a four-week arc that ends May 10); Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (three segments over the last three weeks in May); Cowboy Capital Pro Rodeo in Bandera, Texas, (June 4, 7, 11 and 14); and the Royal Gorge Rodeo in Ca–on City, Colo., (June 18, 21, 25 and 28). Bowling: Aberdeen man rolls 300 Aberdeen bowler Steve Pelzl added to his collection of perfect games on Monday night at the Village Bowl, as he rolled the eighth 300 game of his career. Pelzl, 58, bowls on the Twin City Roofing team in the Merchants Classic League. His 300 came in the first game of a four-game series. His three-game series score was 709 and his four-game score was 916. Pelzl, who has bowled for 46 years and has a 211 average, said nerves still play a role when it comes down to getting the final strike, but he tries to keep everything around him calm. “If you don't get nervous, there's something wrong with you,” said Pelzl, also a standout golfer. “I just try to keep it normal. A lot of times, the people around me will back off, but I tell them to go. In the end, it doesn't bother me.” Pelzl shares a friendly rivalry with another longtime Aberdeen bowler, who has seven 300 games to his credit. “I bowl with Ken Schuh, and Ken has seven 300s,” said Pelzl. “I've bowled with Ken on and off for 30 years and he's had about three shots this year for another 300. He's a great guy to bowl with, and I hope he catches me.” State baseball Hall of Fame in Lake Norden refurbished The South Dakota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in Lake Norden is currently being refurbished as part of a $20,000 project that began on Feb. 1. The project will restore and enhance exhibits, add signs, create themes and further preserve artifacts. It is scheduled to be completed by the end of April, Scott Fielder recently told the Watertown Public Opinion. Fielder is president of the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame board of directors, which oversees operation of the hall. The museum, which opened in July of 1977, is located on Main Street in Lake Norden and houses pictures and artifacts from South Dakota's amateur baseball history. It is supported by charitable contributions from visitors and through local fund-raisers. Most of the renovation is being funded by First Premier Bank and Premier Bankcard. Siouxland Heritage Museums of Sioux Falls has been contracted to do the restoration. “The Hall of Fame will receive a total facelift,” said April Woodside, who is overseeing the project. “Some of the theme areas to be incorporated, among others, will include the Hall of Fame inductees and equipment, state tournaments, state baseball parks, state championships, major-minor leaguers, courageous players and media.” Awards: ADs honored Gary Frankenstein of Huron, along with Burdell Coplan of Canton and Dusty Kracht of Pierre were inducted into the South Dakota Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony was held in conjunction with the Spring Athletic Director's Conference Award Luncheon last week in Pierre. Frankenstein was a coach and athletic director in Howard from 1974-2004; Coplan was a coach and athletic director in Canton; and Kracht was a coach and athletic director in Pierre. Outdoors: GFP hearing Thursday South Dakota hunters may have an increased chance at a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity thanks to a proposal that would increase the number of bighorn sheep licenses from four to five. The proposal considered by the GFP commission calls for adding an additional license in a new unit. The unit would be located in Custer County west of Highway 79 excluding the fenced portion of Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument. South Dakota's bighorn sheep season is open to resident hunters only. Successful applicants are allowed only one license in their lifetime. Another unique hunting opportunity is South Dakota's two-day sage grouse season proposed to take place Sept. 24-25 on public land and private land leased as Walk-in Areas in Harding County and west of U.S. Highway 85 in Butte County. Also, the commission will consider extending the hunting seasons for pheasants and other upland game birds in South Dakota through the end of January. The seasons currently end on the first Sunday of January. The proposed change would add three to four weeks of hunting opportunity, depending on the year. The hunting seasons will be the subject of a public hearing at the commission's April meeting in Brookings at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Days Inn. Comments: wildinfo@state.sd.us. Co-op: Florence-Henry Falcons The Florence and Henry school districts recently announced a new co-op for all sports. The school retired their old mascots, the Flyers and Owls, in a ceremony last weekend and announced their new mascot, the Falcons. Rodeo: Outdoor Channel coverage The Outdoor Channel is in the second year of an agreement with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. It will air rodeo coverage twice weekly through June 28. Each hour-long show will debut at 10 p.m. on Wednesdays and repeat at 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Viewers are advised to check their local listings for changes to the schedule. Six rodeoes will be featured: The Dixie National Rodeo in Jackson, Miss., (April 2 and 5); the Arkansas-Louisiana-Mississippi Stampede Days Rodeo in Monroe, La., (April 9 and 12); the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Pocatello, Idaho, (begins April 16 and 19 in a four-week arc that ends May 10); Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (three segments over the last three weeks in May); Cowboy Capital Pro Rodeo in Bandera, Texas, (June 4, 7, 11 and 14); and the Royal Gorge Rodeo in Ca–on City, Colo., (June 18, 21, 25 and 28). Baseball: Twins set spring record The Minnesota Twins established a new, single-season Spring Training record for average attendance for games played at Hammond (Fla.)Stadium. The team's 2008 Grapefruit League attendance total reached 124,934 fans with 14 of 16 games sold out. Based on a total of 16 home dates, the Twins averaged 7,808 fans per home Spring Training game, topping the previous average game attendance mark of 7,620 established in 2007. The Twins continue their 2008 regular season opening homestand against the Los Angeles Angels today, Wednesday and Thursday and the Kansas City Royals Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets: www.twinsbaseball.com. Got help in Aberdeen Sylvia Fowles (34) had 21 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots - including this one against Rashanda McCants, lifting LSU to a 56-50 win over top-seeded North Carolina on Monday. The victory sent the second-seeded Lady Tigers (31-5) to their fifth Final Four in as many seasons. Fowles' teammate RaShonta LeBlanc's clutch 3-pointer and pair of free throws helped LSU pulled away in the end. A couple of summers ago, Fowles and LeBlanc came to Aberdeen to work on their games with Northern State men's coach Don Meyer. LSU will next play in the national semifinals Sunday against the winner of Texas A&M (29-7) vs. Tennessee (33-2) at 6 tonight on ESPN.